Improved amalgamator



J. T. STAATS.

Amalgamator.

Patented March 13, 1866.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 'T. STAATS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED AMALGAMATOR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 53,194, dated March 13,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN T. S'rAATs, of the city and ,State of New York,have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and usefulImprovement in Amalgamators for Gold, Silver, &c.; and I do herebydeclare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description ofthe'said invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, makingpart of this specification, wherein- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section,and Fig. 2 is transverse section of my improved amalganiator.

Similar marksof reference denote the same parts.

The nature ot' my said invention consists in exposing the pulverulentore to the action of mercurial fumes and agitation with mercury in aclosed vessel to which heat is applied externally, so as to thoroughlyYpermeate the pul- Verized ore and cause the amalgamation ofthe metalwith the mercury both in its solid and gaseous form, and thus morethoroughly remove the precious metal.

In the drawings, a is a vessel ot' iron of suit- I able size andstrength. I prefer that it should be of an egg shape or double conoid,and

' mounted upon gudgeons or trunnions at the ends. One of these trunnionsb forms the plug` to the opening through which the ore and mercury areintroduced. This plug is fitted in airtight, and is to be ground intoits place, or. otherwise made tight, so that no fumes of heated mercurymay esca-pe. I mount this vessel a over a furnace, c, or other heatingapparatus, and I sustain said vessel in bearings d d, wherein it may berotated by hand-power applied to the crank e, or otherwise.

The charge of pulverized ore and mercury is introduced into the vessela, when the plug b is removed a-nd the vessel turned up on end. Thensaid plug is screwed in tight and the vessel a, lifted and placed overthe fire. I fiud it most convenient to lift the vessel a by a crane ortackle, and books may be provided taking holes in the ends of the ax'isor truunions.

The heat applied to the apparatus vaporizes the mercury andtcauses it topenetrate the particles of ore, and the rotary motion given to theapparatus commingles the ore and mercury, insuring the amalgama-tion andabstraction of the precious netals.

Care must be taken not to get the vessel a too hot, or the pressure ofnercurial fumes will be too great; and after the operation is completedthe amalganator is to be lifted from the fire and allowed to cooland'the vapors to condense before the same is opened, or there would bea loss of mercury.

The contents of the amalgamator are to be washed to separate the earthymaterial from the amalgam. g

I do not claim amalgamating ores with mercury by agitation; neither do Iclaim the employmentof mercurial fumes or steam and mercurial fumes,neither do I claim a revolving cylinder for amalgamating ores.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The analgamation ot' metallic ores in a closed vessel by the jointaction otl mercury, mercurial fumes, and agitation resulting` from therotation of such vessel, as specified.

In witness whereof I have lereunto set my signature.

JOHN T. STAATS.

Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, J. E. SERRELL, Jr.

